21 December 2012, the United Nations renewed its peacekeeper observation mission in the Golan Heights, but Japan says no more and is pulling out.

On 19 December, the UN Security Council extended the Golan Heights mission to 30 June 2013.  On 21 December, Japanese media reporting that Japan’s Defense Minister, Satoshi Morimoto, ordered the Japanese Self Defense Forces (SDF) peacekeeper contingent out of the Golan.  Interestingly, the Israeli media reported on the Japanese pullout back on 11 December!

Japanese officials blame the Syrian ‘civil’ war.

It’s that same reasoning that the Israeli government is using for increased military activity in the Golan.  For the first time ever, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) combat exercises, in the Golan Heights, were held during the Hanukkah holiday.  The Netzach Yehuda battalion, from the Kfir Brigade, now holds that distinction.

Battalion leaders revealed the combat training is for an enemy Israel is not used to fighting: “The fact that the exercise is aimed at fighting against a different enemy, which behaves differently from what we are used to, is a new and special thing for the fighters, and therefore this is a great professional improvement.”-Lieutenant Colonel Telem Chazan

The Japanese SDF had been observing the ‘peace’ in the Golan since 1996, and this is the first time the Japanese government has ended a peacekeeping mission for security reasons.

Israel took the Golan from Syria during the 1967 war, and again during the 1973 war. Then in 1981 Israelis passed the Golan Heights Law, a way of unofficially annexing the territory.  But as far back as 1967 the United Nations passed UNSCR 242, which has as demand number one: “Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied….” 

There is also the UN General Assembly resolution 3414 (XXX) of 05 December 1975: “…immediate, unconditional and total withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories occupied since 1967.”

UN Security Council resolution 497 of 17 December 1981: “…the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan was null and void and without international legal effect…”

But ironically it’s the U.S./European/Israeli backed Syrian ‘civil’ war that has the UNSC extending the peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights: “Recent incidents across the cease-fire line have shown the potential for escalation of tensions between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, and jeopardize the cease-fire between the two countries.”

Sounds like a set up, to me.